ALLEGED DEFAMATORY LIBEL.

Press, Volume LXVII, Issue 20427, 23 December 1931, Page 6

ALLEGED DEFAMATORY LIBEL.

LEAVE TO PROSECUTE GRANTED (FRKSS ASSOCIATION TKLBQBAM) AUCKLAND, December 22. Mr F. K. Hunt, S.M. to-day granted an application by the Crown Prosecutor for leave to prosecute George Budd and Ernesi Frederick Thompson for alleged defamatory libel. . It was said that the matter arose out of a demonstration of unemployed in Parliament Grounds, Wellington, on September 16th. In subsequent Court proceedings Inspector: Lander stated that he was without batons or handcuffs. Later, at a'meeting in a theatre in Auckland, a leaflet was distributed by Thompson bearing Budd's imprint. The pamphlets were headed "War," and asserted that Inspector Lander had perjured himself and referred to his as "a perjurer, a liar, and an attacker of defenceless men, women, and children." Counsel opposed the application. He. said that both men were now serving sentences of three months. If the application werfe granted they would, after their release, have to appear at the Supreme Court in February. Counsel also criticised the procedure ot applying under the Crimes Act, under which tho penalty was one or two years' imprisonment, instead of under the libel law, with a penalty of £IOO or three months' imprisonment. Tlic pamphlet, he added, had a limited circulatiftn. The Magistrate said'that in his opinion it was a proper application.